Learning how to listen
Prayer is a conversation and requires active listening skills just like any other conversation
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
Last week I had a business meeting where someone was pitching me a coaching program.
During the entire process, I kept trying to pray and listen carefully for how God might be responding to me.
Because prayer requires active listening skills like anything else, I was trying to pay close attention to anything that might be a response to my prayer.
At one point in the conversation, I was ready to sign up.
Then, a worm of a thought creeped in, “Do I really have time to dedicate to this?”
In that moment, I brushed it aside because the price was what I kept focusing on.
In a follow up conversation with some others, while looking for wisdom on whether or not to sign up for the business coaching program, I gave this particular thought more time…and realized that, no matter how I sliced it, I didn’t have the time.
No matter how badly I wanted it.
Time wasn’t something I could give any more of.
God responded and I wasn’t truly listening until I reflected with others.
If I had made that decision in that moment I may have missed God’s response. If I hadn’t sought out wisdom from others I likely would have jumped right in.
For now, though, my answer was, “Not right now.”
And I realized I need to keep improving on my active listening skills in prayer.
My prayer for today
Our Father, we need help listening for your voice. I need help to discern when you are speaking and moving. We want your will to be done, but that means we need to be listening for and discerning that will. Help me, help us. Amen.
Remember
Listening actively is a skill for interpersonal communication, between you and someone else, but it’s also a skill you have to work on between you and God. Spend time today focusing on listening for a response to prayer rather than praying and moving on. Even if there isn’t a question or request in your prayer time, spend time listening. Even just a couple minutes.